Happy Holidays, Stress and Choices

I want to wish you a very happy holiday season, and for a quick look at stress and choices I will share with you my Christmases Past and Christmas Present.

Christmas Past

I grew up with all the Christmas traditions and when there were children in the family it was fun buying them gifts. It was easy. I knew just were to find them and they liked everything I bought them. But later when everyone grew up it became more difficult. I wanted to buy presents that people would like and enjoy, but what? All the people in our circle of family and friends usually bought anything they wanted for themselves. Farther more, I didn’t know what they had or, for the most part, even what they liked.

I spent weeks running from one store to another trying to find some presents that the people on my list would like. I remember lugging all my packages around the stores and making trips to my car to leave some gifts off so I could shop some more.

This, of course, had to be done in addition to my usual work since we didn’t take a month off for Christmas. By the time I had decided and purchased the gifts it was time to pack for the flight home. I threw all the gifts in a suitcase along with wrapping paper, ribbons etc, and rushed to the airport to get a crowded flight home. Got there the day before Christmas and I would usually be wrapping gifts at midnight on Christmas eve.

The next day, Christmas day, it was time to open presents and that was even more stressful. I almost never cared for the gifts I received, but I knew that the person giving me the gift had, like me, tried very hard to find something that I would like. So, I had to pretend to like my gifts. I could also see that others were doing the same thing.

By the day after Christmas I found myself coming down with a cold. The stress had taken its toll and I had to take the next week off to recover. It seemed to happen every Christmas.

So, one year I made a choice to stop this stressful practice. I informed all of my family and friends that I had realized that this gifting practice was not beneficial for any of us, and that I was going to opt out in the future.

Christmas Present

Since making that decision my Christmases have been much more enjoyable. It is fun to go downtown just to see all the beautiful lights and decorations. In a totally relaxed state I can watch all the people running around like crazy, and be so grateful that I made a choice not to do that anymore.

I sometimes buy something if there is something that I need or want at the time, but I totally avoid the stress that I formally put upon myself during the holiday season.

It is great listening to the Christmas music and enjoying the decorations, and it is always fun to get together with family and friends for Christmas dinner and the walks afterwards.

My Christmas present and all of my Christmases since I made the choice to remove the stress of gift giving has been so much more enjoyable.

As you can see, I am into eliminating stress. I have just finished a book entitled Understanding Stress: How to Relieve Your Stress, Boost You Energy and Discover a Whole New Life. This new e book should be available on our web site by next week.

As you may know, many years ago I discovered a process for releasing stress and strengthening our nervous systems, which when practiced over time moves us into a whole new level of understanding, functioning and experience. I put together the Unlimited Futures Core Course which has helped thousands of people create better lives for themselves.

I have also created a CD, DVD and Companion Workbook to help you get started working with the process.

In addition we now have our Core Course on DVDs so you can experience it in the comfort of your own home. You may download an introduction session absolutely free by clicking in the box on the side of this page on our web site requesting it.

Once you start experiencing this process, we also provide courses that you can attend to accelerate this natural evolutionary process.